Somalia (2000-2012)

Written in 1947, “Soomaaliyeey toosoo” has long been a popular Somali song, and was one of the songs played at the independence ceremonies in 1960. In 2000, while the Somali civil war was still raging and the new transitional government was still in exile in Kenya, “Soomaaliyeey toosoo” was adopted as the new national anthem in an effort to revive the country and break with the past. It is also Somalia’s first national anthem written by a Somali in a more native style of music. There seems to be several versions of the lyrics in existence, but the chorus appears to always be the same.